Gladiators

[poliphilo]

Archaeologists in York have uncovered what they think is a cemetery full of Roman gladiators. Up until now it has been the received opinion that when fighters were finished off in the ring it was done with a single thrust to the throat- but most of these men had been decapitated. One skeleton had been mauled by a large predator- either a bear or a big cat. The theory that the men might have been executed criminals is undermined by signs- including substantial food offerings and the use of coffins- which suggest that these were honoured graves.